Vertical blinds



Nov. 17, 1964 J. P. ARENA ETAL 3,157,223

VERTICAL BLINDS Filed Dec. 21, 1962 {5 4 4-? F3 /2 my INVENTORS \fbssm/9495M;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,157,223 VERTICAL BLINDS Joseph P. Arena,Long Island City, and Robert J. Smith, New Rochelle, N.Y., assignors toVerticals, Inc, Bronx, N.Y-., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 21,1962, Ser. No. 246,660 '7 Claims. (61. 160-168) The present inventionrelates generally to improvements in blind structures and it relatesmore particularly to an improved vertical blind structure provided withmeans for controlling the position of the trailing slat.

A conventional type of vertical blind now in widespread use includes apair of upper and lower longitudinally extending track members whichslidably engage vertically aligned pairs of longitudinally spacedcarriages. The carriages are provided with vertical spindles forengaging the ends and controlling the angles of the slats and thespindles are coupled to a common control mechanism so that the slatangles are uniformly and simultaneously adjustable. The traversemechanism includes collapsable spacer members connecting successivecarriages and means for advancing and retracting the leading carriagewhereby to expand and contract the blind by moving the carriages totheir respective extended and retracted positions. The positioning ofthe trailing slat and carriages present a problem. Under normaloperating conditions the trailing slat should not be advanced since suchmovement opens and exposes the sides of the window and is thus unsightlyand contrary to the proper and desirable operation of the blind. On theother hand it is frequently desirable to advance the trailing slat fromits normal end position to afford access to the corresponding area forcleaning, servicing or other purposes. Arrangements have been proposedfor solving this problem but these arrangements possess manydisadvantages and drawbacks. They are unreliable and subject tomalfunctioning, they may interfere with the normal operation of thevertical blind and otherwise leave much to be desired.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide animproved blind structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vertical blindstructure having an improved slat control mechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedvertical blind structure having means for controlling the advancemovement of the trailing slats whereby to selectively provide access tothe side areas of the blind.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedvertical blind structure of the above nature characterized by itssimplicity, ruggedness, reliability and versatility.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1- is a fragmentary bottom plan view, partially in section, of avertical blind traverse mechanism embodying the present invention, thetrailing and leading carriages being shown by full line in theirretracted and advanced positions respectively, and the trailing carriagebeing shown by brokenline in an advanced position;

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FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary sectional view taken alongline 33 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 3, the trailingcarriage being shown in an advancing position;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 in FIGURE 4.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of avertical blind structure comprising a longitudinally extending guidemember, a plurality of longitudinally spaced carriages longitudinallymovable along said guide member and engaging respective vertical slatsand including a leading carriage and a trailing carriage, spacerelements connecting successive of said carriages to limit the relativelongitudinal movement thereof, means for selectively advancing andretracting said leading carriage whereby to expand and contract saidcarriages, and relatively stationary means located on said guide memberand releasably restricting the longitudinal movement of said trailingcarriage.

According to a preferred form of the present structure a track isdefined by ribs directed inwardly from the side legs of a longitudinallyextending guide member defining channel including a flange directedinwardly from the end of one of said side legs. The trailing carriageincludes a housing formed of a synthetic organic thermosplastic resinand the first abutment member is defined by a pair of laterally spacedresilient fingers formed integrally with the carriage housing andprojecting therefrom toward said channel flange. The second abutmentmember is defined by a stationary pin projecting from the channel flangetoward the trailing carriage and in longitudinal alignment with thespace between the fingers. The stationary pin is wider than the spacebetween the fingers to prevent the movement of the carriage and thefingers past the stationary pin unless sutficient pressure is applied tothe carriage to effect the spreading of the fingers by the pin bearingthereon and the passage of the fingers past the pin. It should be notedthat any pull applied to the trailing carriage by the leading carriageattendant to the expansion of the blind is normally insuflicien-t toeifect the spread of the resilient fingers and the advance of thetrailing carriage. However, the trailing carriage may be moved past theabutment pin in either direction merely by manually grasping thetrailing slot and pulling it and the associated carriages in the desireddirection.

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates avertical blind upper traversing mechanism affixed in a suitable manner-to the head of a window or other area, a complementing counterpartthereof being disposed along the bottom of the area, if so desired. Thetraversing mechanism 10 is described in detail in the copending patentapplicant of Joseph P. Arena and Robert J. Smith, Serial No. 239,204,

filed November 21, 1962, and comprises a longitudinally extendinghorizontal channel member 11 including across are turned upwardly anddelineate a longitudinally ex- '3 x) tending medial slot. Also directedinwardly from each of the legs 12 are a track defining pair ofvertically spaced longitudinally extending ribs 14.

A gear bearing bracket 16 is mounted at one end of the channel member 11and is provided with a remote end wall 17 and is partitioned from thechannel member 11 by a transverse panel 18. A splined rod 19 extendslongitudinally along the length of the channel member 11 at the level ofthe tracks 14 and is transversely offset relative to the medial axis ofthe channel member. An end of the splined rod 19 projects through and isjournalled to the panel 18 and has afiixed thereto a first gear 20. Athreaded rod 22 also extends longitudinally along the channel member 11at the level of and transversely opposite to the splined rod 19 and hasan end journalled to and projecting through the panel 18. A pinion 23engaging the gear 20 is rotatable on the end of the rod 22 and hasaffixed thereto a sprocket wheel 24. A second sprocket wheel 26 isaffixed to the threaded rod 22. Ball chains 27 and 28 engage thesprocket wheels 24 and 26 respectively to facilitate the rotationthereof and the rods 19 and 22 therewith.

A plurality of longitudinally spaced carriages including a leadingcarriage 29 and a trailing carriage 30 are associated with the channelmember 11. Each of the carriages includes a transversely extendinghousing 32 formed of a synthetic thermoplastic resin and provided withintegrally formed transversely projecting axles which carrycorresponding rollers 33 riding along the respective tracks 14. A wormgear 34 is journalled in each of the housings 32 and has an axial borecorresponding in cross section to that of the rod 19 and slidablyengages the splined rod 19 and is rotatable therewith. Engaging each ofthe worm gears 34 is a vertical gear medially journalled in the housings32 and provided with an axial spindle 36 carrying a spring loadedcoupling element 37 engaging the end of a respective verticallytensioned slat 35, shown by broken line in FIG. 1.

The leading carriage 29 is provided with a follower member which engagesthe threaded rod 22 and the other carriages have axial bores formedtherein which slidably register with the threaded rod 22. Successive ofthe carriages are interconnected by spacer links 38 each having atrailing end anchored to each of the carriages and slidably related tothe spacer link anchored to the next successive carriage and urged intoreleasably locked engagement therewith when the carriages are spread totheir extended positions. The carriages and associated linkage aredescribed in detail in the above identified Arena et al. application.The angle of the blind slats are simultaneously adjusted by manipulationof the chain 24 which rotates the splined rod 19 which concurrentlyrotates the spindles 36 by way of the worm gears 34. The rotation of thethreaded rod 22 by manipulation of the chain 26 effects the advance andretraction of the leading carriage 29 which in turn extends theplurality of carriages into regularly spaced relationship as determinedby the links 38 and compactly contracts the carriages respectively.

In accordance with the present invention, means are provided forreleasably locking the trailing carriage 30 in its predetermined fullyretracted position substantially abutting the inner end of a tubularbumper element 39 registering with the rod 22 adjacent the panel 18 andformed of polyethylene or the like. Formed integrally with the housing32 are a pair of transversely spaced parallel resilient cylindricalfingers 40 projecting from the trailing carriage housing 32 toward theconfronting flange 13 adjacent to its free end. Projecting from theinner face of the flange 13 toward the confronting face of the housing32 is an abutment defining cylindrical pin 41 suitably afiixed to theflange 13. The pin 41 is of a diameter slightly less than the center tocenter distance of the fingers 40 and greater than the space between thepins 40 and it extends to a point substantially above the bases of thepins 40. Further, the pin 41 is in longitudinal medial alignment withthe space between the fingers 40, being disposed in abutment with orshortly forward of the front faces of the fingers 40.

In operation, the blind may be closed by advancing the leading carriage29 to expand the cairiagcs in the manner described above, the pin 41engaging the fingers 40 to restrain the trailing carriage 39 fromadvancing forward of its retracted position. However, if access to theside of the blind covered area is desired, the trailing vertical slat isgrasped and advanced longitudinally to impart a correspondinglongitudinal force to the trailing carriages 30. The resultant forceshould be sufiicient to effect the spreading of the fingers 4% as theybear on the pin 41, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6 and thereby permit thepassage of the fingers 40 past the pin 41 and the release of thetrailing carriage 30 and further manual advance movement. The carriage30 may be returned to its retracted position in an opposite manner.

It should be noted that the cooperating releasable locking members, asexemplified by the pin 41 and fingers 40, may be otherwise positioned onthe channel member 11 and trailing carriage 38. In addition theresilient abutment element may be mounted on the channel member 11instead of on the carriage 30 and the carriage abutment member may berigid, or both abutment members may be resilient.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations,omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spiritthereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A vertical blind structure comprising a longitud nally extendingguide member, a plurality of longitudinally spaced carriageslongitudinally movable along sald guide member and engaging respectivevertical slats and including a leading carriage and a trailing carriage,spacer elements connecting successive of said carriages to limit therelative longitudinal movement thereof, means for selectively advancingand retracting said leading carriage whereby to expand and contract saidcarriages, a first abutment member located on said trailing carriage anda second stationary abutment member located on said guide member anddisposed in the path of said first abutment member and just forwardthereof when said trailing carriage is in its fully retracted position,at least one of said abutment members being resilient to rcleasablyrestrict the mutual bypassing of said abutment members.

2. The vertical blind structure of claim 1 wherein said resilientabutment member comprises a resilient arm.

3. The vertical blind structure of claim 1 wherein said resilientabutment member is located on said trailing carriages and comprises apair of laterally spaced resilient first fing rs and said other abutmentmember comprises a second finger in alignment with the space betweensaid first fingers and of greater width than said space.

4. The vertical blind structure of claim 3 wherein said trailingcarriage is formed of a synethetic organic resin and said first fingersare integrally formed therewith.

5. The vertical blind structure of claim 3 wherein said second fingercomprises a relatively rigid pin.

6. A vertical blind structure comprising a longitudinally extendingchannel including a cross web and side legs and a flange directlyinwardly from said side legs and track defining ribs directed inwardlyfrom said side legs, a plurality of longitudinally spaced carriagesslidable along said track and including a leading carriage and atrailing carriage, spacer elements connecting successive of saidcarriages to limit the relative longitudinal movement thereof, means forselectively advancing and retracting said leading carriage whereby toexpand and contract said carriages, a first abutment member located onsaid trailing carriage and directed toward said flange, and a secondabutment member mounted on said flange and disposed in the path of saidfirst abutment member and just forward thereof when said trailingcarriage is in its fully retracted position, at least one of saidabutment members 6 being resilient to releaseoly restrict the mutualmy-passing a second finger in alignment with the space between said ofsaid abutment members. first fingers and of greater Width than saidspace.

file vertlcal bhl'ld structure of claim wherein sald Reffiemes (med inthe file of this patent resllient abutment member is located on saidtrailing carriage and comprises a pair of laterally spaced resilient 5UNITED STATES PATENTS first fingers and said other abutment membercomprises 2,386,695 Lister-Torsen Oct. 9, 1945

1. A VERTICAL BLIND STRUCTURE COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDINGGUIDE MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED CARRIAGESLONGUTIDINALLY MOVABLE ALONG SAID GUIDE MEMBER AND ENGAGING RESPECTIVEVERTICAL SLATS AND INCLUDING A LEADING CARRIAGE AND A TRAILING CARRIAGE,SPACER ELEMENTS CONNECTING SUCCESSIVE OF SAID CARRIAGES TO LIMIT THERELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREOF, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ADVANCINGAND RETRACTING SAID LEADING CARRIAGE WHEREBY TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT SAIDCARRIAGES, A FIRST ABUTMENT MEMBER LOCATED ON SAID TRAILING CARRIAGE ANDA SECOND STATIONARY ABUTMENT MEMBER LOCATED ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER ANDDISPOSED IN THE PATH OF SAID FIRST ABUTMENT MEMBER AND JUST FORWARDTHEREOF WHEN SAID TRAILING CARRIAGE IS IN ITS FULLY RETRACTED POSITION,AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ABUTMENT MEMBERS BEING RESILIENT TO RELEASABLYRESTRICT THE MUTUAL BYPASSING OF SAID ABUTMENT MEMBERS.